Côte d’Ivoire’s Young Elephants claimed the 2025 WAFU B U20 Boys Tournament title with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Nigeria’s Flying Eagles in Wednesday’s final held in Accra, Ghana, Bold Sports reports.
The Flying Eagles had booked their place in the final after a draw with hosts Ghana and a dominant 4-1 win over Benin in the group stages, before a tense penalty shootout victory against Niger in the semifinals set up the final against Côte d’Ivoire.
On the other hand, the Ivorians were impressive going into the final, as they had won all four of their matches with composed, disciplined performances.
Their campaign began with a 2-1 victory over Burkina Faso. They then secured a 1-0 win over Niger Republic and a 2-0 win over Togo to round up the group stage, before coming from behind to defeat hosts Ghana 2-1 in the semifinal.
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The final proved to be a tight affair, with Nigeria holding firm until stoppage time when a dropped ball by goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt allowed Zakaria Tindano to score the decisive goal.
It marked a disappointing end to the tournament for the Flying Eagles, who had hoped to clinch the trophy after they earned a bronze medal at the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.
However, the experience gained will serve them well as they prepare for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, taking place from September 27 to October 19.
Placed in Group F alongside Colombia, Saudi Arabia, and Norway, the Flying Eagles will be seeking to go all the way, having finished as runners-up in 1989 and 2005.
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